Double bass shift for accordions



2 sheets-sheet '1 C. LINDEBERG DOUBLE BASS SHIFT FOR ACCORDIONS Filed July 29, 1938 Nov. 21, 1939.

DOUBLE BASS SHIFT FOR ACCORDONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 29, 1958 000000000000000000000 T10 Y Y Y r 00000 il@ .HV

GGG@

GQQ@ EUQEEDEDEE Patented Nov. 21, 1939 UNITED Y STATES DOUBLE BASS SHIFT FOR ACCORDIONS cal-1 Linaeberg, De Kalb, 111., assigner to yThe Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, CincinnatLmOhio,

a corporation Y Application July 29, 1938, Serial No.7221,919

8 Claims.

This invention relates to the bass shift mechanism for accordions, and particularly wherein the bass section of the accordion is provided y with two slide valves or sets of valves, each of 5` which may be actuated to change the tonal qualities and characteristics of the bass section.

This invention more particularly relates to the means for actuating the respective shifts and the connections and mounting thereof with respect to the bass section of the accordion and the slide valves controlled thereby.

The main object of the invention lies in the provision of a 'pivotally or hingedly mounted actuator extending along one edge of the bass section in the usual manner and a second similarly hinged or pivoted actuator mounted within and associated with the other actuator so that either or both of said actuators may be readily manipulated by the fingers in the same manner o that has been heretofore customary with a single shift actuator.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the underside of the bass box of the accordion with parts removed. Fig. 2 is the same as Fig. 1 showing the upper side thereof. Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the bass box.

In the drawings there is shown a bass box I of a piano accordion which houses the valves and reed blocks of the bass section in the manner and with the arrangement as is well known in the art. For obtaining different and varied tone qualities and combinations, the usual slide valves are employed for closing and rendering ineffective one set of reeds when moved to closed position, while rendering them effective when moved to open position.

As shown herein, there is provided a single slide valve Il and a pair of slide valves I2 and I2a operatively associated with air passages through the respective reed blocks A, as indicated at I3, I4 and I5. Mounted upon one side of the reed blocks there is a partition board I6 separating the reed blocks from the control valves actuated by the keys B of the usual arrangement, as is well understood in the art.

Mounted on the back side of said Vpartition board I6 adjacent the upper end of the bass section when in playing position, as illustrated in Fig. l, there is secured a shift plate I'I carrying the shift mechanism which comprises essentially an oscillating arm I8 having its opposite ends operatively connected with the ends of the slide valves I2 and I2a through the medium of the pins I9. Thus, when said arm is oscillated in one direction, said slide valves are oppositely 0 moved to closed position and when oscillated in the opposite direction they are oppositely moved to open position. This is effected by the U- shaped pusher lingers 20 operating upon the engaging ears 2l extending upwardly from the oscillating disk 22. The supporting shaft of said disk extends through a bearing 23 mounted in the partition board IB so as to carry the osciilating arm I8 on the opposite side thereof, upon which side the valves and reed blocks are mounted. I

The pusher fingers 2B are operatively connected by a link 24 to a lever 25 which is pivoted to the board It at 2B. Connected with said lever between its pivotal' mounting and the link 2d there is a short rod v2`I which in turn is connected with the actuator or shift bar 28. Said shift bar is hinged to the edge of the box at 29 so as to normally lie along the outer surface of said edge as a continuation thereof. Thus, upon pressing inwardly on the actuator 28 the shift will be actuated to slide the valves l2 and I2a from one position to another. 'Ihe detailed construction and operation of the shift device mounted on the plate I'I is more fully shown and described in the copending application of Vaughn E. Morrison, Serial No. 212,677, filed June 9, 1938, entitled Accordion shift mechanism.

The position of the valves is' indicated by a flag in the form of a plunger 30 which is directly connected with the shift mechanism through a rod 3|, said plunger extending upwardly through the top surface of the box when in playing position.

Mounted upon ythe other side of the board 66 and at the opposite `or lower end of the box when in playing position, there is a corresponding shift device other than that the disk 22 thereof is operably connected with a vlink 32 below the plate i7 which in turn is pivotally connected to a lever 33 fulcrumed to the underside of the plate Il intermediate its ends at 34 and having the other end. thereof provided with a pin 35 which is connected with the valve II. The actuating link 24 of this shift is actuated by the free end of a lever 36 which extends along the forward edge of the box to a point where it is fulcruined to the board I at 31. The lever 33 in turn is'actuated by a rod 38 extending through the forward edge of the box and connected with a second actuator or shift bar 39 which is hinged at 4D tothe exterior edge of the box in alignment with the hinges 29 of the actuator 23.

The hinges 29and 40 of the respective actuators being positioned in alignment with each other, the actuator 39 is of less depth and is shorter than actuator 28, the latter being provided with an opening therein indicated at il in which the actuator 39 freely moves to valve-actuating position. Each of said actuators is provided with independent springs indicated at 42 and 43, which normally maintain them in their outward or non-actuating position. In this position actuator 28 extends in the same plane as the edge of the box, whereas the actuator 39 extends slightly outwardly and at an angle thereto. When the actuator 39 is operated, it is moved inwardly about its hinged mounting into the same plane as the actuator 28, and when the actuator 28 is operated it moves inwardly at an angle to its normal position.

For indicating the position of the valve Ii a other in such manner as to utilize the same finger movement as is customary, as well as simplify the actuators and their relation to the edge of the box. In addition, the actuators are so arranged that their respective connections with the shift mechanisms are both along the forward edge of the box, which is an advantage over having one in the forward portion andthe other in the rearward portion. This also lends itself to the convenient spacing and housing of the respective shift mechanisms wherein one may be positioned at one end of the box and on one side of the valve board, whereas the other is oppositely arranged at the other end of the box and on the opposite side of said board.

The invention claimed:

l. In a piano accordion including a bass section box having parallel sliding valves therein, a pair of shift mechanisms each operatively connected with one of said valves, an actuator bar hingedly mounted along one edge of the bass section box operatively connected with one of said shift mechanisms, and a second actuator bar hingedly connected to said box in alignment with the hinged connections of the first-mentioned bar positioned midway between the ends thereof, and means for operatively connecting said second-mentioned bar to the other of said shift mechanisms.

2. In a piano accordion including a bass section box having parallel sliding valves therein, a pair of shift mechanisms each operatively connected with one of said valves, a recessed actuator bar hingedly mounted to extend along one edge of the bass section box, a second actuator bar hingedly mounted in the recess of said firstmentioned bar, and means operatively connecting each of said bars to one of said shift mechanisms.

3. In a piano accordion including a bass section box having parallel sliding valves therein, a pair of shift mechanisms each operatively connected with one of said valves, a partition supporting board mounted in the box of said bass section, one of said mechanisms being mounted on one side of said board at one end thereof and the other of said mechanisms mounted on the opposite side of said board at the other end thereof, a pair of actuator bars mounted for opration exteriorly of the bass section box, and operative connections between said bars and their respective shift mechanisms, said connections being positioned on the same side of said board as their respective shift mechanisms and extending along that portion of the box adjacent said actuators.

4. In a piano accordion including a bass section box having parallel sliding valves therein, a pair of shift mechanisms each operatively connected with one of said valves, a partition supporting board mounted in the box of said bass section, one of said mechanisms being mounted on one side of said board at one end thereof and the other of said mechanisms mounted on the opposite side of said board at the other end thereof, a pair of actuator bars mounted for operation exteriorly of the bass section box, operative connections between said bars and their f respective shift mechanisms, said connections being positioned on the same side of said board as their respective shift mechanisms and extending along that portion of the box adjacent said actuators, and a member for indicating the actuated position of each shift mechanism mounted at one end of the bass section and having operative connections With the respective shift mechanisms lying adjacent the first-mentioned connections.

5. In a piano accordion including a bass section box, a valve shift bar mounted along one edge thereof having a recess therein intermediate its ends, and a second valve shift bar of reduced length and width with respect to the first bar movable within the recess of the first-mentioned bar.

6. In a piano accordion including a bass section box, a valve actuator bar hinged to said box along one edge thereof, said bar being provided vvith a recess intermediate its ends extending inwardly from the hinged edge thereof, and a second actuator bar of less length and width than the rst bar positioned within said recess and hinged to said box along one edge thereof in alignment with the hinged edge of the firstmentioned bar.

'7. In a piano accordion including a bass section box having a supporting partition board therein, parallel sliding valves slidable on one side of said board, a shift mechanism mounted on one side of said'board and at one end of said box connected with one of said valves, a second shift mechanism mounted at the other end of said box on the opposite side of said board connected to the other of said valves, an actuator bar hingedly connected along one edge thereof to said box and extending in a plane parallel with said board, said bar being longitudinally recessed along the hinged edge thereof, a second actuator bar mounted for operation within the recess of the first-mentioned bar and having hinged supports positioned in alignment with the hinged edge of said first-mentioned bar, a-nd operative connections between the respective bars and one of said shift mechanisms, said connections lying on opposite sides of said board adjacent that portion of the box upon which said actuators are hinged.

8. In an accordion including a bass section box having parallel sliding valves therein, a pair of shift mechanisms each operatively connected with one of said valves, a pair of actuator bars hinged to the box and movable one within the other, the hinges thereof extending in alignment, and means operatively connecting each of said bars with one of said shift mechanisms.

` CARL LINDEBERG. 

